I am home
by Loreleyx3
Summary: Sadness and despair filled her heart when she saw the Mad Hatter. Will he remember?


Alice stood behind the wall and carefully looked around the corner to see the balcony. The balcony was dunk in the pale light of the moon, the dark blue heaven silhouetted against it. The endless stars sparkled like rhinestones and once in a while a shooting star was seen.

Her gaze was distracted by a figure squatted in a corner. The person almost melted with darkness. It was Tarrant who buried his face in his hands. Alice recognized him by his big hat.

Tears were formed in her blue eyes. His look was so painful that her heart hurt in her chest. She never has seen him sad or despaired before. He always has been smiling, has never shown any worries.

Tarrant got up and Alice drew back, pressed her back against the cold wall and hold her breath. Her pulse made her deaf. She closed her eyes and tried to calm down her heart, but it didn't want to. It continued to beat in an unsteady rhythm. Her thoughts blustered in her head like a storm. They circled around wildly and made the girl anxious and despaired. She gulped and peered around the corner again.

Tarrant almost stood next to her. Suffering he leaned against the wall and was looking straight on as if he was in trance. Alice was worried about his crooked figure. Was he hurt? Did he have any pangs? He pressed his hands against his temples as if he had terrible headaches. His face contorted with pain, his breath heavy.

Carefully Alice went to the balcony. She was fighting with her tears. When she stood right in front of him, looking down at his suffering figure, she only felt sadness and ache. She just wanted to run away. She couldn't stand it. She didn't dare to touch him because she thought if she did, he would burst.

Then Alice kneeled down and lied a hand on his shoulder. In a flash his face shot up and he looked into her eyes, horrified. A shiver ran down her spine but Alice wasn't beaten by fear. He wanted to stand up but Alice pressed him down with a light squeeze on his shoulder. He would fall because his legs were too soft and shaking.

"Alice…" he whispered, voice weak and breakable. "Alice you.. you are back." She smiled. A smile full of alleviation and also despair. He remembered her. That was good. But his look nibbled at her heart.

"I am back, Tarrant", she said quietly and lied her other hand on his other shoulder. She kneeled between his legs and was looking right into his deep black eyes.

"And I am not dreaming?" Confused he touched his forehead and sighed. "No. No, Trannat. You are not dreaming. I am really here." "You have been away for a long time", he uttered in a breathy voice before his body started to tremble. Alice wrapped her arms around him and hold him tight. He pressed his face on her shoulder and cried.

Alice tears dropped soundless upon his big hat and trailed away on the velvet material. Gently she stroke his back lifted and dropped unsteady. Alice closed her eyes. They didn't talk the whole time. She comforted him by being there for him.

When a calmed down after a while he lifted his head and looked into her eyes. His ones were lighter than before. They were dark blue, like the sky in night. His face was so close to hers that she could see every single white and wet eyelash of his eyes. His pink lips were formed to a serious line.

"I am so sorry, Tarrant", Alice said quietly. "I shouldn't have left Underland. But it was too late when I noticed that I have lost something precious." "It was hurting so much", he said softly. Carefully he lifted one of his shaky hands and gently stroke her cheek. It felt like the sweep of a butterfly wing.

"Any hope left me. You were always so close but then.. you dispersed. I thought I would never see you again." Carefully he hold her face in his hands. "I see you. I feel you", he murmured and gazed at her face as if he would see it for the last time.

"I won't leave Underland again", she said and let her fingers slide through his wild orange hair. "I won't leave _you_ again."

His face got closer and closer that she could feel his breath on her lips. His eyes were lighter and had the colour of a dark green. His hope returned and his look was gently, so lovely that Alice closed the little gap between them and gently pressed her lips onto his.

He inhaled her scent and clung to her body as if she would disappear again.

Alice felt what she wanted to feel for so long. The feeling of holding someone she loved. The flutter of her heart and pins and needles in her stomach as if thousand of butterflies were flying in it.

When they pulled apart two big green and familiar eyes were shining into her blue ones. He leaned his forehead against hers and breathed a sigh of relief.

Tarrant was himself again. He has found his muchness again. Alice smiled and hold him tight. She didn't want to let him go. Never again.

They stood up together and were standing on the balcony. They looked up to the sky with its bright stars and counted shooting stars. Alice nestled to his body and breathed in his sweet scent. He lied one arm around his petite figure and hold her tight.

They didn't have to talk with each other to show their feelings. They enjoyed each others presence and counted shooting stars.

Alice was home. Finally.


End file.
